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Metropolitan Family Health Network***
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n 1983, the Jersey City Medical Center received Federal grant funds under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act to establish a community-based primary care delivery system to serve the residents of Jersey City, the second largest city in the state. In addition to serving Jersey City, the Family Health Center serves Bayonne and Northern Hudson County. The program, named the Jersey City Family Health Center (FHC), was then located adjacent to the Medical Center campus.
FHC began service operations in January 1984 and offered an array of primary and specialty ambulatory care services organized to assure continuity of care for both children and adults. In 1986, obstetrical and gynecological services began operations. Over the past years, FHC continued to expand its clinical program, develop new systems of clinical management, enhance the number of specialty designed programs, and work with other community agencies and facilities to ensure that patients receive coordinated care in response to community needs.
FHC currently renders comprehensive adult medical, pediatric, adolescent, and OB/GYN services. Its ancillary services include a laboratory, nutrition, social work, health education, and case management. Special programs are also provided which target the homeless, high-risk prenatal care, HIV positive and AIDS populations, the elderly, and patients with chronic medical conditions like diabetes and hypertension. A 24-hour sick hotline, and free immunizations through the Jersey City Preschool Immunization program are other special services of FHC.
Jersey City Family Health strives to develop and provide a system of care that will meet Jersey City's unmet need for medical and social services, and will do it in such a way that it is accessible, comprehensive and patient oriented. This broad goal has the following components:
Provision of ambulatory care which is family and patient oriented, (rather than being disease or specialty oriented).
Provision of preventive services to a service population accustomed to episodic therapeutic care.
Provision of specialty and support services that are accessible and are integrated into an individualized care plan.
Community participation in the planning and development of health center programs assuring that its services meet the health, social and ethnic needs of its patients.
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